Shoe-tree



Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED .STATES vPATENT OFFICE..

SHOE-TREE.

Application filed May 11, 1925. Serial No. 29,593.

The present invention relates to improvements in shoe trees.

More particularly the invention relates to improvements in toggle connection for shoe trees in which the working length of the tree is readily a-nd conveniently adjust-able to different sizes of shoes.

Various forms of such toggle joints have Vbeen proposed, most of which are unsatisfactory in structure and are expensive to manufacture. Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide a toggle joint for shoe trees which is simple in structure, easily adjusted and may be. manufactured cheaply and rapidly in large quantities.

Further objects of the invention will appear in the full detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiment. While the toggle connection disclosed is especially adapted for shoe trees it may be useful in other relations.

Referring to thel drawings, Fig. l is a perspective view showing the joint applied to a form of shoe tree.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the improved toggle joint.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of the joint with parts broken away.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the joint.

The device comprises a rear toggle member 1 in which is formed an elongated slot 2 provided with enlarged sections 3. Mounted to slide on rear toggle member 1 is a pivot adjusting member 4 with a projecting thumb piece 5 preferably formed integrally with member 4 by bending a section of a side thereof out-ward as shown. A movable pivot pin provided with an enlarged bearing section 5 a head 6 and a reduced extension 7 is slidably supported in member 4. Secured to the end of extension 7 is a head 8, and a coil spring 9 is interposed between head 8 and the side of member 4, which normally holds the head 6 in engagement with a side of the slider member 4 and with bearing section 5 fitting through and seated in one of the enlarged portions 3 of the slot 2. Pivotally supported on bea-ring section 5 and disposed between one side of slider 4 and member 1 is a front toggle arm 10.

A heel piece 11 is connected to the end of arm 1 and a toe member 12, which may be of any well known combination, is secured to the end of arm l0. The parts are so proportioned andv arranged that when they are in the position shown in Fig. 3, arms 1 and 10 are held in a definite relation with respect to each other and are movable about section 5 as a pivot to adjust the length of the tree, when head 8 is pressed inward section 7 moves into alignment with the reduced sections of slots 2. Member 4 together with arm 10 can be moved along arm 1 until the desired adjustment has been made and the pressure on 8 is then released. Spring 7 will then force the bearing pin outward and section 5 may be brought into alignment with the closest enlarged section 3 of the slot. When the parts are aligned, section 5 will enter an enlarged portion of the slot and the parts will then be pivoted together in a new position. It will be seen that in this manner the effective length of the toggle arm 1 may be varied as desired.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent and is claimed as new is:

1. A toggle joint for shoe trees comprising an arm provided with a slot having alternate enlarged and reduced portions; a member slidably mounted on said arm; a bearing pin slidably supported in said member with an enlarged section normally seated in one of said enlarged slot portions, and a reduced section adapted to pass through said reduced slot portions; and a second arm pivoted on the enlarged section of said bearing pin and guided for pivotal movement between a side of said first mentioned arm and a side of said member; said bearing pin and said second mentioned arm being slidable along said first mentioned arm only when the reduced sect-ion of said bearing pin is shifted into alignment with the reduced portions of said slot.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, together with a spring normally holding the enlarged section of said bearing pin in an enlarged portion of said slot.

3. A toggle joint for shoe trees comprising an arm provided with a slot having alternate enlarged and reduced portions; a slider on said arm; a. pivot member pro vided with an enlarged and a reduced section supported on said slider and extending through said slot; an arm pivoted on said pivot member guided for pivotal movement by said first mentioned arm and said slider; and :i spring normally holding the enlarged section. of said pivot member in an enL rged portion of said slot; the parts being so proportioned and arranged that said slider t0- getlier with said pvot member and said pivoted arm are movable along said slot only when tbe reduced portion of said pivot meinber is moved into said slot. io

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

ARTHUR R. ANDERSON. 

